Timer for internal combustion



Aug. `23, 1938;

M. lvEs ET A1. 2,127,957

TIMER FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES Filed Feb. 19, 1937 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 f ff - Aug. 23, 193s. M. .VES ET AL.' 2,127,957

TIMER FOR INTERNAL GOMBUSTION ENGINES Filed Feb. 19, 19:57 z'sheets-sheet, 2

A Y q www!! Patented Aug. 23, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE TIMER FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES 15 Claims.

This invention relates to circuit makers and breakers and particularly to periodically operating devices of the type described intended primarily for ignition circuits.

It is a general object of the present invention to provide novel and improved circuit making and breaking apparatus for prolonging the life of the contacts and improving the operation thereof.

More particularly, it is an object of the in- 4vention to provide in a contact making and breaking device a pair of confronting contacts engageable by movement parallel to their contact faces, and in which, in addition to the movement for opening and closing the circuit, at

least one of the contacts is caused to revolve about an axis eccentric to the other to continuously present different surfaces on the two contacts for engagement with each other.

An important feature of the invention resides in the provision of means for imparting circular movement to one of a pair of confronting contacts to maintain the contact surfaces uniform and clean.

Another feature of the invention resides in the provision, in confronting contacts, of means for imparting a circular or gyratory movement to one of the contacts and imparting to at least one of the contacts a rotary movement about its own axis, both of these mentioned movements being independent of that causing separation and engagement of the contacts.

Still another feature of the invention resides in the provision of ignition apparatus for automotive type internal combustion engines provided with a motor driven fan or operated in a substantial blast of air, and wherein means is provided driven by the air blast to maintain the contacts in good condition.

Other and further features and objects of the invention will be more apparent to those skilled in the art upon a consideration of the accompanying drawings and following specification wherein are disclosed several exemplary embodiments of the invention with the understanding that they can be so combined, modified or changed within the scope of the appended claims without departing from the spirit of the invention.

In said drawings:

Figure 1 is a plan view, with cover removed, of a circuit maker and breaker of the type commonly used for automotive ignition, the apparatus being modified by the addition of one em- 55 bodiment of the present invention;

(Cl. 20D-30) Figure 2 is a vertical section on broken line 2-2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary section on line 3-3 of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a view similar to Figure 1 showing a further embodiment of the invention;

Figure 5 is a view similar to Figure 1 showing a third embodiment of the invention; and

Figure 6 is a view similar to Figure 1 showing a fourth embodiment of the invention.

The operation of automotive ignition apparatus under the present day demands for high speed, multiple cylinders, high spark voltage to overcome extreme compression ratios, and for long life without attention has resulted in severe conditions imposed upon the primary circuit breaker. It must handle heavy currents at extremely high speeds, and the contact points are thus subject to various defects known in the trade as pitting, knife edging and the like, which seem to result from misalignment of the contact points, improper facing of the points, and bouncing from high speed operation, and from other causes, but all produced primarily by the erosion of the arc formed every time the circuit is broken. In most cases the arc seems to burn or melt the metal from one contact and deposit it on the other, sometimes producing a deep crater in one and a corresponding peak on the other. The conditions are such that the rate of growth of the one point is greater than the rate of cratering of the other, producing a continued reduction in the length of the gap between the contact points until finally the circuit is not completely broken and operation of the motor ceases until the points are properly ground, filed, adjusted or replaced.

The present invention deals with apparatus for preventing to a large degree the difficulties enumerated above, and for maintaining the contact points in excellent condition over a long period of time. Primarily the invention is based on mechanism for continually presenting different portions of the confronting contacts to each other and for moving the contacts while they are in engagement with each other to maintain the surfaces clean and smooth.

Referring first to Figures l, 2 and 3, there is shown at l0 the more or less conventional housing of the usual automotive circuit breaker, which housing usually carries the distributor cap which forms no part of the present invention and is not shown herein. This housing provides the bearing for a central shaft Il driven at appropriate speed from some moving part of the motor and own axis, thereby achieving automatically the result obtained in the other forms of the invention by the addition of parts.

All forms of the invention provide very satisfactory service because only once in a great number of times will the same two portions on opposite contacts come into engagement so that there is no tendency for cratering, knife edging, or the like. The contacts achieve smooth, regular surfaces maintained throughout substantially their whole range, their life is materially pro* longed, and the operation of the ignition equipment maintained at maximum efficiency for the whole life of the contacts.

Obviously the invention is not limited to ignition equipment with which it has been described for the sake of convenience, but can be applied to most any type of circuit closing mechanism where confronting contacts are used.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. A circuit maker and breaker for ignition systems comprising, in combination, a relatively stationary contact point, a confronting contact point movable to and from the first contact to control a circuit, means to rotate one of said contact points about its own axis and means to revolve one of said Contact points about the axis of the other.

2. A circuit maker and breaker of the cam operated type for ignition systems comprising, in combination, a relatively stationary contact point, a breaker arm operable by the cam, a contact point carried by said arm in confronting relation to the first Contact point and movable into and out of engagement therewith by the cam, means to revolve one of said contacts about the axis of the other on a radius less than the diameter of the other point to continually present different surfaces for conta-ct to retain the surfaces of the points substantially uniform.

3. A circuit maker and breaker of the cam operated type for ignition systems comprising, in combination, a relatively stationary contact point, a breaker arm operable by the cam, a contact point carried by said arm in confronting relation to the first contact point and movable into and out of engagement therewith by the cam, means to revolve one of said contacts about the axis of the other on a radius less than the diameter of the other point, and means to rotate one of said Contact points about its own axis at a speed independent of the speed of revolution.

4. A circuit maker and breaker of the cam operated type for ignition systems comprising, in combination, a relatively stationary contact point, a breaker arm operable by the cam, a contact point carried by said arm in confronting relation to the first contact point and movable into and out of engagement therewith by the cam, a circular shaft supporting said relatively stationary contact axially at one end thereof, a sleeve mounted for rotation, said sleeve having an eccentric bore journalling said shaft, and means to rotate said sleeve.

5. A circuit maker and breaker of the cam operated type for ignition systems comprising, in combination, a relatively stationary contact point, a breaker arm operable by the cam, a contact point carried by said arm in confronting relation to the first conta-ct point and movable into and out of engagement therewith by the cam, a circular shaft supporting said relatively stationary contact axially at one end thereof, a sleeve mounted for rotation, said sleeve having an eccentric bore journalling said shaft, means to rotate said sleeve, and means to rotate said shaft within said sleeve.

6. A circuit maker and breaker of the cam operated type for ignition systems comprising, in combination, a relatively stationary contact point, a breaker arm operable by the cam, a contact point carried by said arm in confronting relation to the first contact point and movable into and out of engagement therewith by the cam, a circular shaft supporting said relatively stationary contact axially at one end thereof, a sleeve mounted for rotation, said sleeve having an eccentric bore journalling said shaft, means to impart substantially steady rotation to said sleeve, and means actuated by the eccentricity of the shaft mounting to impart rotary movement to said shaft relative to said sleeve once per sleeve revolution.

7. A circuit maker and breaker of the cam operated type for ignition systems comprising, in combination, a relatively stationary Contact point, a breaker arm operable by the cam, a contact point carried by said arm in confronting relation to the first contact point and movable into and out of engagement therewith by the cam, a circular shaft supporting said relatively stationary contact axially at one end thereof, a sleeve mounted for rotation, said sleeve having an eccentric bore journalling said shaft, a motor directly driving said sleeve, a toothed member on said shaft outside of said sleeve and a dog engageable by said member once per revolution of the sleeve to impart relative rotation to the sleeve and shaft.

8. A circuit maker and breaker of the cam operated type for ignition systems comprising, in combination, a relatively stationary Contact point, a breaker arm operable by the cam, a contact point carried by said arm in confronting relation to the first Contact point and movable into and out of engagement therewith by the cam, a circular shaft supporting said relatively stationary contact axially at one end thereof, a sleeve mounted for rotation, said sleeve having an eccentric bore journalling said shaft, a fan on said sleeve, a fan on said shaft, both said fans being exposed to a current of air whereby both are rotated to impart rotation and revolution to said relatively stationary contact.

9. An ignition interrupter for use with internal combustion engines operating in a current of air, including, in combination, a pair of confronting contacts, means to reciprocate one of said contacts to open and close a circuit, and means operable by said current of air to move said other contact in a substantially circular path solely to present new surfaces to the other contact.

10. An ignition interrupter for use with internal combustion engines operating in a current of air, including, in combination, a pair of confronting contacts, means to reciprocate one of said contacts to open and close a circuit, and means operable by said current of air to gyrate said other contact on a radius less than the diameter of the first contact.

11. A circuit interrupter for internal combustion engine ignition systems including, in combination, a pair of contacts, means to oscillate one of said contacts, means mounting the other contact to move in a circular path and a fan exposed to air moving by said interrupter to move said contact in its path.

12. A circuit interrupter for internal combustion engine ignition systems including, in oombination, a pair of contacts, means to oscillate one of said contacts, means mounting the other contact to movein a circular path, a fan exposed to air moving by said interrupter to move said contact in its path, a second ian, and means connecting it to rotate said other contact about its own axis.

13. A circuit maker and breaker of the cam operated type for ignition systems comprising, in combination, a relatively stationary contact point, a breaker arm operable by the cam, a contact point carried by said arm in confronting relation to the first contact point and movable into and out of engagement therewith by the cam, atrod fulcrumed intermediate its ends for universal movement, said first contact being carried at one end of said rod, and means to move the opposite end of said rod in a circular path asynchronous to the breaker arm movement.

14. A circuit maker and breaker of the cam operated type for ignition systems comprising, in combination, a relatively stationary contact point, a breaker arm operable by the cam, a contact point carrieclzby said arm in confronting relation to the rst Contact point and movable into and out of engagement therewith by the cam, a rod having a spherical enlargement remote from one end, means journalling said enlargement for` universal movement oi" the rod including rotation, said rst Contact being carried at said end of said rod and means te actuate said rod to gyrate said contact.

l5. A Contact maker and breaker including two contact members having substantially at faces for engagement with each other by movement substantially parallel to said faces, means to rotate one of said contacts substantially about the center of its face and means to revolve one of said contacts about an axis eccentric to said center.

MYRL IVES. JAMES D. LA BELL. 

